RAYS Family Support & Prevention Services
In 1996 we increased our presence in the community by establishing an additional office in the Skyway community dedicated to Family Support & Prevention Services. Services at this location are both center-based and community-based. The focus of this new location is to provide resources, services, and programs within the community utilizing the Principles of Family Support Practice developed by Family Support America. These guiding principles include:
- Staff and families work together in relationships based on mutual equality and respect.
- Staff enhance families' capacity to support the growth and development of all family members-adults, youth, and children.
- Families are resources to their own members, to other families, to programs, and to communities.
- Programs affirm and strengthen families' cultural, racial, and linguistic identities and enhance their ability to function in a multicultural society.
- Programs are embedded in their communities and contribute to the community-building process.
- Programs advocate with families for services and systems that are fair, responsive, and accountable to the families served.
- Practitioners work with families to mobilize formal and informal resources to support family development.
- Programs are flexible and continually responsive to emerging family and community issues.
- Principles of family support are modeled in all program activities, including planning, governance, and administration.
Services & Programs
- Parenting Education & Support
- Youth Development
- Emergency Assistance
- Resource & Referral
- Technology Center
- Community Development
- Holiday Assistance
Parenting for Success
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Recipient of the...
2005 Washington State Exemplary Prevention Award
In October 2005 our Parenting for Success program was recognized for excellence by the Department of Social and Health Services and King County Alcohol and Other Drugs Prevention Program with this honor.
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Strengthening Multi-Ethnic Families & Communities is the curriculum used to engage those parenting children ages 3-18 years old in discussions, learning and sharing about the job of parenting. Hands-on, interactive group sessions allow parents to feel connected to other parents, decrease feeling of isolation, share parenting successes and challenges, and learn positive discipline techniques. Parenting Education sessions are scheduled within the community to encourage participation and allow families the opportunity to be more active within their own community.
Monthly Parenting Support groups are coordinated to decrease feelings of isolation and increase feelings of support for those with a parenting role. Parenting Support groups are scheduled within the community to encourage participation and allow families the opportunity to be more active within their own community. Topics of discussion are based on the Strengthening Multi-Ethnic Families & Communities curriculum as well as topics of interest to the participants. For more information on the SMEC curriculum visit the website www.parentingacrosscultures.com .
The Kinship Support group meets monthly to bring together and provide a source of support for those parenting their relative children. More grandparents, aunts, uncles and older siblings are raising their relative's children in today's world. To feel more connected to others in similar life situations, the Kinship Support group was created as a day-time group for relative parenting.
For more information regarding our Parenting for Success program please contact Program Coordinator Billie McKibben at 206-772-2050 ext. 4 or billiem@rays.org.
Rites of Passage Program
The Rites of Passage Program works with middle and high school youth in the Renton School District to increase communication skills, increase healthy, positive behaviors and reduce the risk of involvement in unhealthy, negative behaviors. Rites of Passage conducts group sessions in the school during the school year, works individually with students and coordinates volunteer opportunities for participants.For more information regarding our Rites of Passage program please contact our Director of Family Support Services Jennifer Moore at 206/772-2050 ext. 2 or jenniferm@rays.org
Staying at Home Program
Families experience hills and valleys on the road to self-sufficiency. The Staying at Home program is designed to assist families who are experiencing a valley that is specifically effecting their ability to pay rent or utilities. Small financial awards are made to landlords and electric, water, oil and gas companies to assist families with children in staying in their current home and to prevent homelessness.For more information regarding our Staying at Home Program please contact our Family Support & Prevention Services Program Assistant Cynthia Green at 206-772-2050 ext. 1 or cynthiag@rays.org.
Resource information and referral to basic needs, health care, educational/vocational programs, housing, job skills, and other community-based services and programs. Resource information is given by phone and in-person.
For more information regarding our resource and referral services please contact our Family Support & Prevention Services Program Assistant Cynthia Green at 206/772-2050 ext. 1 or cynthiag@rays.org.
Our Skyway location strives to be a space for the community to gather, learn, share, and connect. Community meetings and community education classes, such as financial management, and home buying are scheduled in the building without fees attached. TRAC Associates, who work to link individuals to job training and new work situations, are currently housed with the office to provide more support to the community. RAYS staff work to partner and collaborate with community coalitions, committees, task forces and governance councils to improve the opportunities of positive development for the community.
For more information regarding our community development focus please contact our Director of Family Support Services Jennifer Moore at 206-772-2050 ext. 2 or jenniferm@rays.org
Helping to make the holiday season brighter for families and children in need is the goal of the coordination of the Holiday Assistance Program. Nearly 400 children are served by the program which include the Boeing Adopt-a-Family Program, Renton Giving Tree, RAYS Giving Tree, and the Toys for Tots Program. We celebrate the season with our families by holding a Holiday Fair at Dimmitt Middle School where families can enjoy entertainment, food, fun activities, and learn about community resources.
For more information regarding our Holiday Assistance program please contact our Family Support & Prevention Services Program Assistant Cynthia Green at 206-772-2050 ext. 1 or cynthiag@rays.org.